Talk to Me
by three-days-late
Summary: About a week before Alfred leaves for a dig in Egypt, he and Arthur get into a fight. With a little help from their friends, will they be able to patch things up, or is this it for good?


**For the usxuk lj com's Summer Camp Day 22 theme: Correspondence.**

**Enjoy.**

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><p>FROM THE DESK OF FRANCIS BONNEFOY<p>

January 14, 2011

Dear Alfred,

I have no idea what you said to Arthur at the party last night, but he is packing his bags as I write this and has scheduled a plane back to England for tomorrow. I am sure you are aware, but if you do not talk to him before he leaves, it will probably be between six months to six years before you can speak to him face to face again. Since these things usually go over better when you are physically talking to the person, I suggest you catch him before then. He's leaving from gate 5C at Dulles International Airport at 7 AM, if you want to leave it to the last minute and be dramatic.

Much love,

Francis Bonnefoy

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><p><strong>From:<strong> Alfred

art, w8t 4 me. i need 2 tlk 2 u b4 u leav. ill b ur hotel in a few

Jan 15, 5:30 am

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><p><strong>From<strong>: Kiku

Alfred-kun,

I was surprised you were not there to see Arthur-san off. I don't mean to pry but are you two fighting again? Right before you leave for your dig in Egypt?

Jan 15, 7:05 am

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><p>36 Missed Calls<p>

32 from Alfred

1 from Frog

1 from Kiku

2 from Andrew

5 New Voicemails

First New Message:

_Arthur, it's Alfred, listen I really need to talk to you so don't-_

Message erased.

Next Message:

_Arthur I'm on my way to the airport, just wait there for me and-_

Message erased.

Next Message:

_Arthur! Damnit! You know I'm going to Egypt soon why did you get on that plane? Just two seconds of your time, is that so much to-_

Message erased.

Next Message:

_Arthur, I'm sorry. I'm sorry and I just… Just call me. Please. Before I leave. I want to talk to you. Please Arthur._

End of message. To erase this message press seven. To save it press nine.

Message erased.

Next Message:

_Artie, it's Andrew. Turn your damn phone on and tell me where to pick you up._

Message erased.

End of new messages.

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><p><strong>From:<strong> Gupta Hassan []

**To:** Alfred F. Jones []

**Date:** Sun, Jan 16, 2011 at 10:34 am

**Subject:** Egypt Dig

Alfred:

I've already filled out the proper paperwork for you to accompany us to the Valley of the Kings. All I need for you is a confirmation of how many people are coming and your signature on the attached form. Bring it with you to the airport.

We're leaving Wednesday at 6 AM. I've also attached your ticket confirmation. Please print it out and bring it with you, and please write it down somewhere so you don't forget again.

-Gupta

**Alfred F. Jones to Gupta:**

Thanks dude! Have I mentioned you're the best? It's just me, Arthur can't make it.

Forget your passport and all important documents in an Oklahoma motel one time and you never live it down do you? XD

Can't wait till Wednesday!

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><p><strong>From:<strong> Mattie

Al y isnt Art answring his phone?

Jan 16 3:30 pm

**From:** Al

dunno mayb its ur face?

Jan 16 3:31 pm

**From:** Mattie

Y do u 2 always fight? Cant u go 1 trip w/o making a scene?

Jan 16 3:33 pm

**From:** Al

hey he strted it this tiem! i tried 2 mke up w/ him. he blew me of!

Jan 16 3:35 pm

**From:** Mattie

4 some reason i doubt that. what did u do?

Jan 16 3:36 pm

**From: **Al

he got btchy me teh prty on fridy. dunno y.

Jan 16 3:39 pm

**From: **Mattie

Im sure w/e it was, u deserved it. Please try 2 make up w/ him.

Jan 16 3:41 pm

**From: **Al

ive ben tryng! he wont tlk 2 me.

Jan 16 3:55 pm

**From: **Mattie

Keep trying 2 reach him. You'll get through somehow.

Jan 16 4:00 pm

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><p><strong>From: <strong>Francis Bonnefoy []

**To: **Alfred F. Jones []

**Date: **Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 9:54 am

**Subject: **(none)

My dear Alfred,

When I said 'you should patch things up face to face before he leaves and you don't see him for however long you'll be stuck in Egypt without him,' I meant, you should do just that, because now you'll be stuck in Egypt for however long without him. Things will fester, his temper will get worse, and he'll never forgive you and find someone else.

I cannot comprehend why you two keep doing this to yourselves. Nobody wants this, nobody likes this.

Much Love,

Francis Bonnefoy

**Alfred F. Jones to Francis:**

Why is everyone always blaming me? He's just as much at fault!

I _did_ try to patch things up while he was here, but he left before I could talk to him. If you want to harass someone harass him!

You think I like things like this too?

**Francis Bonnefoy to Alfred:**

Alfred,

I am not implying that you like this. However, considering your tendency to go and make things worse between you, I am starting to wonder.

What exactly did you say to him?

-Francis Bonnefoy

**Alfred F. Jones to Francis:**

Why do you assume I was the one who said something?

**Francis Bonnefoy to Alfred:**

Because he was the one who stormed out of the country this time.

If you tell me what went wrong I can help you.

-Francis Bonnefoy

**Alfred F. Jones to Francis:**

He didn't want to go to Egypt. We fought.

**Francis Bonnefoy to Alfred:**

We both know there's more to it than that. Why won't you tell anyone the full story?

-Francis Bonnefoy

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><p>Incoming call: Frog<p>

What is it? I'm in the middle of something.

_Yes, moping. You've been doing it since you got back. We need to talk._

About what?

_About Alfred. What happened?_

Nothing happened.

_You don't break up over nothing, Lapin. _

W-what makes you think we've broken up!

_You're as good as broken up. He's leaving for Egypt in 2 days and if you don't talk to him before then-_

Then we don't talk. Whatever.

_Arthur… I swear if I didn't care about your wellbeing and you weren't made for each other, I'd kill you both._

I don't know why you keep insisting we were made for each other. There are plenty of other people out there!

_Lapin, you know you it last with any of them, because none of them are Alfred._

That's not true! I don't need Alfred in my life!

_Yes you do, or you will become the miserable little shut in you were before you met him, you know this. And it goes both ways, and you know this too! He needs you just as much as you need him; you two are just too stubborn to see it sometimes!_

…

_Arthur, are you listening to me?_

Call ended.

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><p><strong>From: <strong>Alfred F. Jones []

**To: **Arthur Kirkland []

**Date: **Mon Jan 17, 2011 at 2:33 pm

**Subject: **Talk to Me

Arthur,

You know I'm not good with words. I'm sorry I snapped at you. Please talk to me. I want to make things right with you.

-Alfred

**This conversation has been moved to the Trash**

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><p><strong>From:<strong> Al

do u hve spare glves?

Tue Jan 19 11:23 am

**From: **Mattie

Maybe y?

Tue Jan 19 11:24 am

**From: **Al

its 4 egypt. cant find mine.

Tue Jan 19 11:25 am

**From: **Mattie

Did u check w/ art?

Tue Jan 19 11:26 am

**From: **Al

i wuld if he was tlking 2 me.

Tue Jan 19 11:29 am

**From: **Mattie

Come over later n get them. U should still talk to him though.

Tue Jan 19 11:31 am

**From: **Al

thnx bro!

Tue Jan 19 11:32 am

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><p><strong>From: <strong>Francis Bonnefoy []

**To: **Arthur Kirkland []

**Date: **Tue, Jan 19, 2011 at 1:19 pm

**Subject: **(none)

Arthur,

I know we have had our disagreements in the past, but I thought you also knew that when it comes to matters of the heart, I only have your best interests in mind. Alfred made you happy in a way I hadn't seen you in years, the happiest you'd ever been since your parents died. That's why I'm fighting you so hard on this.

If you honestly believe that it's unsalvageable between you two, then I will put it to rest. I did not mean to imply otherwise.

-Francis Bonnefoy

**Arthur Kirkland to Francis:**

Francis,

I wouldn't say 'unsalvageable.' It is fairly wrecked though.

**Francis Bonnefoy to Arthur:**

Are you going to tell me what happened yet?

-Francis Bonnefoy

**Arthur Kirkland to Francis:**

No.

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><p>Incoming call: Kiku<p>

Hey Kiku! What's up?

_Hello Alfred-kun. I wanted to call and wish you good luck on your trip tomorrow._

Thanks man! Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a spare pair of gloves would you? Matt lent his to Gilbert last week.

_I am sorry I doubt my gloves would fit you. _

Oh yeah, you've got tiny hands.

_What happened to your gloves?_

Can't find them. I think Ar – someone borrowed them and forgot to return them.

_You could always ask whoever borrowed them to give them back, couldn't you?_

I would, if whoever borrowed them would give me the time of day right now.

_I am sure he will come around. You are both stubborn, but in the end you love each other, and that's what matters._

…

_Alfred-kun?_

Yeah I hear you. Thanks for calling Kiku, but I've really got to finish packing.

_I see. I'm sorry for disturbing you._

No, its fine, I'm glad you called. Take care!

_And you as well. Have fun in Egypt._

I'm sure I will.

Call ended.

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><p><strong>From: <strong>Alfred F. Jones

**To: **Arthur Kirkland

**Date: **Tue, Jan 19, 2011 at 7:30 pm

**Subject: **I'm Sorry

Dear Arthur,

I've been staring at that damn cursor for hours trying to think of what to say. I'm pretty sure you deleted my last e-mail, but here's hoping you actually read this one.

I am sorry, for what I said to you. I didn't mean to imply you don't care about me. I know you love me, well, loved me, at some point anyway. I know I can be obsessive about the things that interest me – and this includes you, just ask Kiku or Matt – and that I can get single minded at times. I didn't mean to say you were holding me back.

You're not holding me back.

The truth is Arthur, everything I do, everything I've _done_ is because of you. You're my inspiration, the reason I do these things. True, I became an archeologist because I wanted to, but it's because I wanted to make a life of it with you that I was able to get this far with my career.

I should have told you that. I should have told you a lot of things.

I love you. I'll _always_ love you.

I'll still have to go to Egypt tomorrow. Please understand, I'd be in England tomorrow in a heartbeat apologize and hug you and kiss you in person, but there is no way I can back out now.

Please, Arthur, this is a plea from the bottom of my heart, call me. I _need_ to talk to you before I leave.

-Alfred

…

**Your message has been discarded**

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><p><strong>From: <strong>Arthur Kirkland

**To: **Alfred F. Jones

**Date: **Tue, Jan 19, 2011 at 7:30 pm

**Subject: **(none)

Alfred,

I'm sorry I've been ignoring you. I just needed some time to cool off.

I don't mean to hold you back. I've always wanted you to do the best that you can. You have so much potential, can do so much for the world, and I'd hate to be the one putting a stop to that in anyway.

Sometimes it feels like you like your bits of old pottery more than me. When I'm around you I can't help but be jealous of inanimate objects, yet simply your smile makes everything bad and wrong vanish from my heart. You're the only one who can evoke these emotions from me, and it terrifies me.

Alfred, I love you far too much. I want to keep you with me forever, but I know that your attention will always be divided between both me and your work.

I'm not going to give you an ultimatum. I want what I've always wanted from you: I want you to be happy, and you'll be much happier without me in your life anymore. I only seem to bring you pain.

Best wishes,

Arthur

…

**Your message has been discarded.**

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><p>January 19, 2011<p>

Dear Arthur,

I'm writing this in a letter, because I figure you'd be less likely to chuck a letter than delete an e-mail.

I know I'm not good with words. You're the flowery poetic type anyway, but I have something I need to tell you. You have every right to toss this letter aside and never speak to me again, but please indulge my selfishness one last time.

Arthur Kirkland, I love you.

I have always loved you.

I will never stop loving you.

I love you more than archeology and Superman and hamburgers combined. You've put up with so much for me, and I don't know what I to deserve you in my life, but I'd gladly do it again.

I can live without archeology. I can live without my studies. I can live without my colleagues or my travels or my digs or my grants or my research.

I can't imagine living without you.

Writing this is making me late, mailing it is going to make me later, but I don't care. Gupta can bitch and moan at me for the whole flight, but as long as my words, my feelings get to you, even if it's through snail mail, then it's worth it.

Because Arthur, you're my everything. And you deserve to know that, even if it's too late for us.

Love always and forever,

Alfred

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><p><strong>From: <strong>Arthur

Look up.

Tue Jan 27 12:02 pm

Alfred stared at the text message on his phone, confused. He was at the worktable at the site, mulling over some of the finds they had found so far when his phone had rung. With nothing to lose, he looked up.

And nothing, not ancient artifacts nor table nor fellow archeologists, were going to keep him away from his lover.


End file.
